Listen To Life
by Tea1689
Summary: Lucas Scott was different and he knew it. He was different...because he saw with his heart. Will he be able to overcome the obstacles that are standing in his way and get what he always wanted? Brucas
1. I Just Wanna Live

_Hey guys...  
I wrote this story a while ago, but I am just now posting it on this site.  
This is a three-part story, so I should have the second chapter up soon.  
So please read and tell me what you think. Thanks._

Summary: Lucas Scott was different...and he knew it. He was different, because he saw with his heart. Will he be able to overcome the obstacles that are standing in his way and get what he always wanted? Brucas

**I JUST WANNA LIVE  
Chapter 1**

Lucas Scott had always been different from everyone else. He was special, and he knew it. Growing up had some times been difficult but he learned to look past it. He knew who he was and what he wanted to do, and he never let anyone get in that way.

He easily navigated his way through the small and crowded Tree Hill halls; it had become so familiar to him it was like second nature. As he walked down the hall people scooted aside, people knew to stay out of his way. He found his way to his locker and listened to the clicks as he dialed in the combination.

He skimmed his fingers along the books to find his English one and pulled it out. "Hey Luke." His best friend, one of his only friends, Haley James bounced up beside him. He smiled at her and continued to try to find his English binder.

"Morning Hales." He greeted her warmly. He started to become frustrated when he couldn't find the binder. He let out a quiet growl as he started to tare through the small locker.

"Luke chill." Haley said grabbing his hand and pulling it away from the books. She reached into the back and pulled out the binder and placed it in his hands. "There."

"Thanks." He said holding out his hand so she could take it. They walked down the blue halls once again, this time heading towards the English classroom. They rounded the corner when Lucas collided with something, sending his books crashing down in front of him. "Hey, watch where you're going." Lucas said kneeling down and picking up his books.

"Yeah." The guy scoffed as he stood in front of him. Lucas could hear the sarcastic tone in his voice. "Why don't you try it?" He laughed and walked off.

Haley bent down and grabbed the last book and handed it to him. "Thanks again." Lucas smiled standing back up. "I hate that guy."

"Come on." Haley grabbed his arm again and dragged him into the classroom. She took a seat beside him and pulled out her notebook to take notes as the teacher droned on. She looked over towards him and tapped lightly on the corner of his desk to get his attention. "Luke." She whispered. He titled his head slightly towards her to tell her he was paying attention as he continued to jot down the notes. "I heard there is an opening on the team."

"Hales, you know I can't play." Lucas whispered back.

"Luke, I've seen you play." Haley replied. "You're amazing. You have a real talent."

"I can't play on the team I meant." Lucas stated. Truthfully, he had thought about it. But then he came back to his senses and realized that it could never happen.

"Luke, just try it." Haley tried to convince him. "I mean sure, it will take some time to get adjusted and everything, but you can do it."

"I'll think about it." Lucas said turning back so he could continue to listen to the teacher and take notes.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Lucas walked down the halls again and found his way to his locker. He placed his books back in their usual place so he wouldn't have trouble finding them tomorrow.

He had been thinking about what Haley said all day. He thought over every possible situation or outcome. He weighed the pros and the cons…and decided to go for it. He walked down the halls, but quickly became lost. He had never really ventured down this side of the school before.

"Excuse me." Lucas asked people as they walked by. He sighed when no one stopped to help him.

"Yeah?" He heard a familiar voice question in front of him. He smiled to himself, her voice was sweet.

"Peyton." He said mostly to himself. "Mind pointing me in the direction of the gym?"

"Uh, yeah." Peyton said turning to face a hall. "It's right down there, second door on your left." She had never met this kid before, how did he know her name?

"Thanks." Lucas said taking a few steps in the direction she had said. "Oh, and by the way. I hear you every morning doing the announcements." She nodded in understanding but he didn't notice.

He walked down the hallway and eventually found the gym. He walked through the doors and stopped as he took in all the sensations. The bouncing of basketballs filled his ears as it echoed throughout the gym and it smelled of sweat. "Ok. Huddle up!" A voice boomed and he followed the others towards the man.

He listened intently as Whitey instructed the others on what to do. They ran off in a couple different directions. "Lucas." The man said shocked when he first noticed the blonde-haired boy standing in front of him.

"I want to play." Lucas said firmly. He heard a small laugh from someone beside him but decided to let it pass.

"And how is that going to work?" He questioned skeptically.

"I'll sit on the sides today, get the feel of things." Lucas explained. "And tomorrow I'll start practice."

"But what makes you think this is going to work?" He asked curiously.

"Because. I'm a good player. I'll work hard, as hard as I have to." Lucas pleaded. He had to admit to himself, he really did want to try. He wanted to prove that he was good enough. He wanted to prove that he could compete with everyone else.

"Alright." He agreed reluctantly. "I'll give you a shot. This is it."

"Thanks." Lucas smiled appreciably. He sat down on the bench behind him and began to study how the others played. He studied their every move, their every step. He listened to the way they called out plays to each other and the way they passed the ball.

Practice ended and people started to shuffle back out of the locker room. "Hey." A brown-haired boy said standing in front of Lucas. "I'm Jake."

"I'm Lucas." He said holding his hand out for Jake to shake. He stood up and walked beside Jake towards the doors.

"So, do you need a lift?" Jake questioned once they were outside.

"Uh, ya, sure." Lucas said thankfully and followed Jake to his truck. He walked in front and slid into the passenger seat. Lucas told him the way to the house and Jake drove off. "It's the third one." Lucas said as he pulled onto his street.

"Nice house." Jake said as he pulled into the driveway.

"Thanks." Lucas said. "Wanna come in?"

"Um, rain check?" Jake said politely. "I've got some stuff to take care of."

"Sure." Lucas said stepping out of the truck. "Thanks for the ride."

Lucas walked up the familiar sidewalk and pushed open the front door. "Mom?" Lucas called as he set his bag down near the doorway. He followed her voice into the kitchen and took a seat on a stool.

"Hey." His mom smiled to herself. "How was school?"

"Good." He nodded as she placed a plate in front of him full of cookies. He smelt the familiar smell and smiled contently. He placed one in his mouth and was greeted with his favorite taste.

"Why are you home so late?" She questioned curiously.

"I, um." Lucas stumbled over his words. "I kinda joined the basketball team."

She choked on the cookie in her mouth in disbelief. She wasn't sure if she had even heard him right. Lucas had never been one to make decisions, especially ones like that, on his own. He had always kept to himself, not really talking to many people. "You what?"

"I joined the team." Lucas stated proud of himself. "It's time I started living Mom. I'm not just gonna hang back forever." She sighed, knowing he was right.

"I know." She said gently. "Just, be careful. Promise me that."

"I promise." Lucas said surely. He have her a comforting smile before heading to his room and falling onto his inviting bed. He reached over and rummaged through his nightstand before finally retrieving his ipod. He placed the buds into his ears and the music played through as he fell asleep.

He awoke the next day to the suns rays warming his face. He slowly sat up and stretched his arms. It was another beautiful day outside he assumed. He made the familiar walk to the bathroom and then into the kitchen for a small breakfast before school.

The day was once again uneventful and he barely realized how much time had really passed. He was now finding his way to the gym to begin his first day of practice. He followed the booming voice and found Whitey. "Lucas. We have a game tomorrow. Do you think you'll be ready?" Whitey questioned. Lucas nodded his head eagerly.

"Definitely." Lucas said pulling on his jersey. He stood in the middle of the court and dribbled the ball.

"Coach!" A voice whined beside him. Lucas knew the voice, Nathan Scott, his half-brother. "You can't be serious putting this kid on the team. He can't even make a basket!"

Lucas smiled to himself as he dribbled the ball a few times to get used to the gym. He calculated everything about the basket, how hard he would have to throw it, and at what angle. He dribbled once more; the small bumps on the ball grazing his fingers before it hurdled through the air. He listened intently for one of the most gratifying sounds that had ever graced his ears; the ball swished through the net perfectly. He smiled proudly as he turned towards the kid.

"Lucky shot." He said sourly. He threw the ball harshly towards Lucas, who stopped it centimeters next to his head. Lucas smiled as he dribbled and once again shot the ball and once again it went flawlessly into the net.

The rest of practice went quickly with no complications. Lucas was getting used to playing with his team and playing in the gym. He was surprised at how easy it all was to get used to.

The next day was game day, the day he had been looking forward to. He had to admit, he was extremely nervous. Tonight he would make a name for himself, either the school geek, or amazing basketball star. He could barely concentrate in class.

"Hey, Peyt…" Brooke Davis whispered to her friend sitting next to her in class. Peyton discreetly turned her attention towards the hyper brunette. "Who the new guy on the team, he's kinda hot."

"Him?" Peyton said pointing her pencil towards Lucas in the front row, Brooke nodded. "That's Lucas Scott. As in Nathan's half-brother."

"Oh." Brooke said surprised. "I don't care, he's still hot." Brooke said eyeing him. Peyton had to laugh at her friend's bluntness.

The final bell rang and Lucas was the first one out of the room. Haley met him at his locker and they headed to the café. "Ready?" Karen asked as Lucas took a seat at the counter.

"I hope so." Lucas gave her an anxious smile. The entire time he couldn't stop fidgeting, he kept playing with anything he could get his hands on. Haley had to yell at him, and sometimes smack his hands away to stop him.

Eventually game time came and Lucas stood on the sideline as he listened to the home crowed cheering his team on. He listened as the other team came out onto the court, the shoes squeaking against the floor as they did. The referee blew the whistle and Lucas jogged out onto the court.

The first half had gone well. Lucas had scored 14 of the teams 30 points. He smiled to himself when he heard his mom's voice cheering him on over the entire crowd. Lucas quickly passed the ball into Nathan and the Ravens began to increase their lead.

There were 30 seconds left and Lucas passed to Jake. Jake dribbled for a few seconds before passing it to Nathan. Nathan shot the ball but it bounced off the rim and luckily landed in Tim's hands who immediately passed back to Lucas.

Lucas dribbled the ball, trying to keep it away from the other team. When he knew he could make the shot he threw the ball towards the basket. The buzzer rang through the gym, but all Lucas heard was his ball sailing through the net.

Haley came rushing down and launched herself at his body. He stumbled backwards as he wrapped his arms around his best friend. "You were great!" Haley exclaimed excitedly. Lucas laughed happily as he gently placed her back on the ground.

"Thanks." Lucas kept smiling. "Listen, I'm gonna stick around for a while. I'll call you when I get home." Haley agreed and left him alone in the now empty gym. Lucas lay down in the middle of the court and enjoyed his first win. He couldn't believe how well he had played.

"You dead?" An unfamiliar voice questioned above him. He sat up quickly, his heart now racing from the fright.

"No." He smiled nervously. "I'm Lucas." He said standing up.

"Brooke." She said cheerfully. "What, am I too ugly to look at?" She questioned him.

"Excuse me?" Lucas said taken aback from her. He wasn't sure how to respond to that.

"I asked why you won't look at me." Brooke said waving her hand in front of his face. "What are you deaf?" She questioned when he still didn't open his eyes.

"Um." Lucas shifted nervously. "Blind actually." He said gesturing to his eyes.

"Seriously?" Brooke felt horrible now. She honestly didn't know and now she felt major guilt. "Oh, wow. I'm so sorry." Brooke said quickly.

"Nah, it's fine." Lucas stated. "You didn't know."

"I really am sorry." Brooke said resting her hand on his arm. "So what are you doing here anyway?"

"Just thinking." He admitted truthfully. "I was actually about to leave."

"Oh well." Brooke said. "I guess I'll see you some other time."

"I was going to go get some dinner at my mom's café." Lucas stated. "Care to join me?"

"Sure." Brooke smiled happily. Lucas began walking and she followed. He could sense her nervousness as they walked down the street, Lucas leading the way. He had that sense, he could tell what people where feeling, tell what they were doing even though he couldn't see them.

"So can I ask you a question?" Brooke broke the silence that had fallen between them. Lucas nodded his head as he turned the corner and continued down the street towards the café. "How do you know where you're going?"

"What, like right now." He questioned.

"Yeah. How do you know where to turn and how to get places?" Brooke questioned curiously.

"I count the steps. I know exactly how many steps to every place I need to go." Lucas explained.

"What if it's a new place? How do you know how many steps?" Brooke asked.

"In that case, I usually get my friend Haley to walk me there and I count how many steps it takes." Lucas informed her. "Then next time I can do it on my own."

"That's neat." Brooke said honestly. "Can I ask you another question?"

"Shoot." Lucas smiled gently at her curiosity.

"How do you play basketball?" Brooke asked. "I mean, its not like you can count steps in that."

"I listen." Lucas said pointing to his ear. "I listen to their voices and I can tell where people are, or to the way their feet sound against the floor. I listen to the sound of the ball as it bounces and people catch it."

"How do you know where the basket is?" Brooke replied.

"Well sounds bounce off of things. So I usually bounce the ball before I shoot and listen to the sound bounce off the basket. Then I aim there and shoot." Lucas explained again.

"That's amazing." Brooke replied. "You must have really good hearing."

"Yeah." Lucas smiled. "It's kinda true what people say, when you lose one sense the others become stronger. There are some things people just don't pay attention to or take for granted."

"So what's it like, being blind." Brooke questioned. "If you don't want to answer, that's fine."

"Nah, its fine." Lucas reassured her. "It's not as bad as people would think. I've kinda grown used to it, its become part of who I am. I mean sure, at times it sucks."

"Like when?" Brooke asked.

"I miss out on things. Like…we'll obviously I can't see anything, so I kinda miss out on the simple things. But I learned to adjust." Lucas said. "This is it." He said pointing to the door of the café.

"You're good." Brooke laughed as she pushed open the door. Lucas led her up to the counter and they took a seat. Karen walked over to them a few minutes later.

"You played great tonight Luke." Karen said resting her hand on his. "And who is this?"

"Brooke Davis." She smiled shaking the older woman's hand. Karen gave her a polite smile before returning to her customers.

"Listen, Lucas." Brooke said facing him. "I have to go. It was really nice talking to you. Maybe we can do it again tomorrow?"

"I'd like that." Lucas smiled. Brooke laid a light kiss on his cheek before she exited the café.


	2. Mr Brightside

Hey...  
So this is the second chapter out of three.  
Thanks to chicaespanola, brookebynature, and treehilladmirer for reviewing.  
Please read the chapter and tell me what you think.  
Thanks.

Summary: Lucas Scott was different and he knew it. He was different...because he saw with his heart. Will he be able to overcome the obstacles that are standing in his way and get what he always wanted? Brucas

**MR. BRIGHTSIDE  
CHAPTER 2**

He stood in the middle of the small court, it was his place, the place he went to get away from the world. Here he can be himself, he doesn't have to worry about what everyone else thinks.

He walked forward some, so he was standing near the edge of the cliff facing the river. He could taste the saltiness as the water ran below him. It was peaceful there, the way the water splashed gently against the rocks. He could almost picture it, the water, the birds drinking from the edges, the fish swimming around.

He may not have something that other people have, but he never let that get him down. Because he has something that most people will never get, an appreciation for the small things in life. Most people go their entire lives taking things for granted and overlooking things. But him? If he had just one day when he could see, he would look at everything he could. He would sit in the park and watch as people played. He would sit in the sand and watch the waves crash down. And if he had that special someone in his life, he would memorize every little inch of her face.

The world to him, is a mystery. There are so many things that have been left unseen or done. He can try to imagine what things look like, but in the end he will never truly know. People try to explain to him the color of the ocean, but how do you explain the color 'blue' to someone who has never seen it before? To him 'color' is a mere word to symbolize the unknown.

A slow, light tapping slowly becomes louder as it nears him, and he smiles to himself knowing whom it is by the way she walks. He stood silent as she stopped beside him, his face never turning from the river. He moved behind her slightly, his hands covered her eyes and he told her to stay quiet. "Just listen." He instructed her.

She listened silently to the river below. She rarely took time out to stop and listen to things, but this, this was something amazing. She could hear every little ripple in the water, every little splash as the water flowed around the rocks. Slowly he removed his hands, but her eyes stayed closed.

She wanted to experience what he had. She wanted to know what it was like. Listening to the river gave her a new appreciation. She smiled as her eyes opened to look at the sandy-blonde haired boy standing next to her.

"Did you hear it?" He asked softly. She watched him in awe. He seemed so carefree here; He seemed at ease with the world.

"Hear what?" She asked equally as soft. She didn't want to ruin the moment that they were sharing.

"_Life_." He whispered magically. She didn't answer, just watched him intently as he took in his surroundings. He was mystifying. He held a certain secrecy to him, one that she wanted to solve. She had only known him for a few days, and yet she was drawn to him. His gentle face, his soft smile, and his kind words entranced her. She often found herself wondering what color his eyes were, and if they held the mystery in them.

"Luke?" She asked gently as a question popped into her mind. She found her self intrigued by him.

"Hmm?" He said turning to face her. He knew if wasn't necessary to face someone that you couldn't see, but he always found it polite.

"Were you um, born like that?" She asked carefully. "Or did it…" She trailed off.

He understood why she would want to know; most people he met did, well that is, the people that actually cared enough to talk to him. "I could see up until I was about one. My mom had tried to explain what the disease is, but I never really understood it. All I know is, I can't see."

"So besides basketball." She changed the topic after she noticed his uneasiness about his condition. "What else do you like to do?"

"Nothing much." He shrugged slightly. "I just like…to live. I dunno, I guess it kinda sounds childish. But, my perfect day, would be sitting in the sand, listening to the waves crash in, and be with my friends."

"Nah. That sounds wonderful." She replied honesty. She gently pulled him down to the cushiony grass below them. "So tell me about yourself." She instructed.

"Why do you want to know about me?" He questioned as he lay back carefully so his head was cradled in his hands. "I mean, most people go out of their way to avoid me, that is, if they even notice me. But you, it just seems like you go out of your way to see me."

"I dunno. You just have this, this unexplainable, vibe, about you." She sighed as she mirrored his position in the grass.

He nodded and turned his head slight towards her. "So it has nothing to do with pity, or anything like that?"

"Pity? Yes." She replied calmly as she turned on her side to face him. "But not because you're blind. I pity you because you don't have enough self-respect to believe that I would want to get to know you for you."

He went to respond, but he shut his mouth quickly. "It's just that…" He said sitting up and playing with the blades of grass between his fingers. "You come out of no where, and have this sudden interest in me."

"Most guys…they just see me as 'Brooke Davis-Captain of the Cheerleaders'." She stated mimicking his movements. "But you see past that, and see me for who I really am. And I like that. I like that a nice-guy like you can sit here with me and talk about life, not sex or parties or anything like that."

"I like it too." He smiled light as he moved his arms to rest on his bent knees. "I guess I'm just a little…paranoid. The only other person, besides my mom, who has really taken an interest in me is Haley, so it's just a little weird."

"Lucas, you're a great guy, and if people are too ignorant to see that, then that's their problem." Brooke whispered as she cupped his face gently in her palm.

A small smile broke out onto his face as he brought both of his hands up to rest on her cheeks. "I wanna see you Brooke." He whispered. She let her eyes slowly flutter shut as his fingers traced her features. His calloused tips slid over her eyelids and down to her lips. He traced her lips and let out a light sigh. "You're beautiful." He whispered as he let his hands fall from her face.

A bouncing ball echoed in their ears before she had time to respond. "Aw, isn't that sweet." A voice called from the court a few feet away from where the two where now standing.

"Shove it Nate." Brooke replied with an annoyed tone. She had known him for as long as she could remember, which is why it confused her as to why he was only cruel when he was around Lucas. When he was dating Peyton, he was always sweet and caring; but the second his eyes landed on Lucas, he transformed into someone who was cold and uncaring.

"I'm just saying." Nathan laughed and dribble the ball harshly against the cement. "The little unwanted blind boy going after the head-cheerleader. It's kinda cute."

"What is with you?" Lucas burst as he stepped away from Brooke and towards Nathan. "What the hell did I ever do to you?"

"You were born." Nathan stated with an eerie calmness. Lucas spun back towards Brooke as he lifted his hand into the air and flicked his brother off. Brooke gasped as the ball came into contact with the back of Lucas' head and he stumbled forward.

He threw his hands out to try to brace his fall but let out a loud groan as his forehead hit the picnic table with a bang. Nathan stood motionless as Brooke rushed to Lucas' side. She gently rolled over his limp body and saw the blood running from the deep cut on his head.

For a second, her eyes met the most intense blue she has ever seen and then just as quickly as it had come, it was gone again. His body fell complete still as the blood continued to ooze quickly from his head. Nathan knelt beside her and picked his brother up in his arms. "Come on." He ordered as he placed him into the backseat of his truck. Brooke climbed in the back and rested his head in her lap.

The only life left in the usual peaceful retreat was the sound of tires screeching and dust being flung everywhere as the black SUV sped away.


	3. Every Time I Look For You

_Hey guys...  
It's sad, I know, but this is the last chapter. It was just a short 3-parter.  
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone that read and reviewed...  
So, Thanks._

Flashbacks are in _Italics._

Summary: Lucas Scott was different...and he knew it. He was different, because he saw with his heart. Will he be able to overcome the obstacles that are standing in his way and get what he always wanted? Brucas

**EVERY TIME I LOOK FOR YOU  
CHAPTER 3**

"_But beauty seen is never lost,  
__God's colors all are fast;  
__The glory of this sunset heaven  
__Into my soul has passed…"  
-__-John Greenleaf Whittier_

Ask any person, 'what do you use to see things?' and their answer would be simple, and quite predictable. Their answer would be: 'My eyes.' They would say. Look the answer up in a book, and you would find that you actually see with your mind. The answer would be complicated, and would go into great detail on how the image passes through the lenses and into the brain.

If you were to ask him, he would answer effortlessly. He would say, with the utmost confidence that you see with your heart. Every image that passes in front of your eyes someway or another will leave a permanent impression on your soul. Whether it be the friendly face of someone long known, or a new place that has yet to be explored. All leave their mark on your heart.

His crystal blue eyes scanned over the violently crashing waves before him. Their color matched the sea that they memorized passionately. It would be an image that would be seared into his heart for eternity, and he knew it would drastically change his life.

He watched the white tops crash down upon itself and send seemingly endless ripples cascading in every direction. It was truly a remarkable site, one that would be over passed by the average observer.

Carefully he bent down, ignoring the painful dizziness that buzzed around in his head, and grasped a fistful of sand. He watched it admiringly as it filtered through his closed fingers and returned to the collection below him. The color amazed him the most; it was an odd shade, a mix between yellow and brown.

Was that the color of his hair? He had been told that his hair was 'sandy-blonde'. He wondered if people had mistakenly compared the two. And the waves, were they the same as his eyes, or were people again mistaken? Both were beautiful colors, he did not doubt that. In fact, everything, at least to him, was beautiful. Besides, who was he to be picky?

He continued his way back up the beach, the swishing sound echoing in his ears with each step he took as his sneakers swept across the sand. He let his gaze linger upwards towards the sky. Another striking site. The white clouds were a beautiful accent against the lively blue horizon.

Half of him wished to stay there all day, just sitting in the sand and watching the waves break in. Or to lie in the grass and take in the different shapes of the clouds above him as the wind gently pushed them along. But he knew there were so many other things that he wanted to see.

He found himself at one of those places, the river court. It was even more magical then he could have ever guessed. The hoops and the flat top both sent off a calming feel, and the movie-like backdrop of the river in front of the city skyline was stunning.

The bumps, he could see them. For so long he could only graze his fingers along the curve of the ball, but now he could see every last one of them. Effortlessly he bounced it against the cement, the familiar thud filling his ears as he did so.

Another bounce. His fingers ran along the edge and he watched them fascinatingly. With a gentle ease he allowed the ball to soar from his fingers and hurdle towards the net. Oh how it empowered him to watch the ball make the perfect swish through the net.

A sharp pain shot throughout his head followed by the seemingly louder bounce of the ball from his head. He stumbled forward, loosing his balance. His hands frantically waved out in front of him, looking for anything to grab onto as he heard Brooke gasp.

_Another sharp pain, this time on the front of his head. He could feel his body become numb and his legs give out below him. A wetness trickled down his face, a drop landed on his lips. Blood. His blood. _

His body was being moved, just not by him. A brightness flashed before his eyes, stinging them. That was the last thing he could remember.

He could feel a hand on his arm, someone in the distance calling his name. He tried to move, let them know that he could hear them, but his arms were so heavy. "M…" He tried to call for his mom, but his lips refused to cooperate.

_The grip they had on his arm tightened and he flinched slightly. An eerie burning formed in his head, stinging agonizingly behind his eyes. "Lucas." He heard. It was his mom. A collective gasp could be heard, his eyes slowly opening, the harsh lights stinging excruciatingly. _

_He blinked rapidly, weird shapes playing out before him. His hand slowly rose with difficulty to rub them. A woman. He could see. He could see a woman. She was older, her eyes were wide. She looked older. "Mom?" He managed to whisper hoarsely._

"_Luke." She cried with relief as she wrapped her arms around his body tightly. His eyes scanned the room warily. He could see? How? "I'm so glad you're alright."_

"_Mom." He whispered again to get her attention. Slowly she pulled back and faced him. "I…I can see." He mumbled confusedly. _

_Skeptically she scanned his eyes, looking for anything, any type of clue. She raised her fingers and he instinctively followed it back and forth. "Haley, go get the doctor." She called over he shoulder, her eyes never breaking from his. The door reopened a few seconds later, the doctor entering, followed by Haley._

"_Follow my finger Lucas." He instructed as he moved it up and down and side to side. Lucas' eyes tracked his finger causing a puzzled expression to appear on the elder man's face. He gently reached over and grabbed a black-and-white drum from the table. "Just look straight ahead." He stated as he spun it in front of his face. _

"_What happened?" Lucas questioned eagerly. The doctor returned the drum to the table and glanced at Lucas with fascination._

"_I don't know." He admitted sheepishly. "I've never seen something like this before. Do you remember what happened?"_

"_The ball, it hit him in the back of the head." Nathan spoke wearily from the corner of the room. All eyes shot to him as he stepped out from the shadows hesitantly. He shifted nervously from one foot to the other and his fingers tangled together absentmindedly. "And then he hit the front of his head on the table."_

_Lucas watched him bewilderedly. Was he really there? Why? A million questions were surging through his head. But one stood out. "Where's Brooke?" He asked quietly._

"_She left, she promised she would be back later to see you." Haley offered him a small, gentle smile. Haley. His eyes pierced through her captivatingly. She edged closer and gently cupped the side of his face. "You can really see?" She questioned softly. He smiled lovingly and nodded._

"_You're so beautiful Hales." He whispered truthfully. His eyes memorized every inch of her face; he never wanted to forget what she looked like. Another gentle smile broke onto his face as the heat rose up her neck, her cheeks flushing lightly. She carefully placed a small kiss on his forehead. _

"_Thanks buddy." She whispered lovingly into his ear. He titled his head cautiously and returned the favor. _

"_Hales, you think you could do me a favor?" He asked her hopefully. She gently combed his hair from his eyes with a nod. "Can you find me some clothes?"_

"_Clothes?" Karen interrupted them. "For what?"_

"_To wear." He rolled his eyes sweetly._

"_Lucas, we still have some tests to run." His doctor stepped in cautiously. "We have to find out what has caused this. We can't let you go without some sort of idea."_

"_No offence." Lucas smiled politely. "But I can see. Can you tell me how long its going to last?"_

"_No." His doctor replied. "That's why we need to…"_

"_Ok then." He said pulling on the shirt that Haley had handed him. "I'm not going to waste it by sitting in some stark hospital room. I'm going to enjoy it while its still around." He slid his pants under the blankets and wiggled them up his legs._

"_Luke, you can't…" Karen pleaded with him._

"_I have to mom." He sighed. "I need to do this. Please?" Her eyes searched his and eventually she nodded her head in acceptance. "Thank-you." He whispered gratefully in her ear as he gave her a warm hug. He kissed Haley on the head._

_Hesitantly he stood in front of Nathan. Nathan squirmed timidly, not quite sure what to expect. Slowly Lucas raised his hand and held it in the air between them. Nathan glanced at it, confusion flooding his features. "Thank-you." Lucas mumbled as Nathan guardedly shook it._

He stood on the edge, watching the ripples float across the surface and the birds splash frantically in the river. It was enchanting. He could feel the sun beating lazily upon his face as it began its descend into the evening.

A light tapping echoed behind him, and from many years of experience, he was able to figure out who it was with ease. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" She murmured softly beside him. He simply nodded, his eyes slowly gazing towards her.

The image that flooded his eyes was inexpressible. "Hell yes." He laughed lightly as she realized the true meaning of his words and felt his eyes on her. She laughed lightly, her dimples entrancing him as she did. "I'd die happy…" He trailed off joyfully.

"Stop…" She flushed sheepishly as her hand playfully pushed against his chest. He quickly recovered and gently cupped her cheek in his hand.

"I mean it." He whispered unwaveringly. Her dimples flashed again and his heart melted within him. She stepped hesitantly closer to him and let her hand rest on top of his.

"Your eyes…" She whispered with just as much fulfillment as him. "They're so…intense. So, warm." Slowly he leaned in, his eyes falling to her full lips as they gently met in the middle.

The sunset like a picture behind them, the dark-red rays bouncing off the river and casting a shadow along the lush grass. The scene was that from a movie; they stood before the setting sun, colors splashed along the soon-to-be night sky, fully absorbed by each other.

_It was an image that would be etched into the heart._


End file.
